The Channel 4 news chief said that she would not disclose names of specific offenders known to her in the industry, as it was for the victims of other abuses to speak out themselves when they felt comfortable.

However, the media boss said she would use her platform to scare lecherous men into better behaviour.

She said: “If there are men who don’t have the morality to behave properly towards women, we have got to frighten them into behaving properly towards women.

“You think you got away with it for 20 or 30 years.

“I would say to any dirty bastard now, just don’t do it, because we’ll somehow get you.”

Byrne also targeted Boris Johnson and Donald Trump for their alleged disregard for facts in their rhetoric.

Post MacT. Dorothy Byrne on politicians lying: “We don’t expect politicians to tell us every truth but I don’t except they must lie.” #EdTVFest

The Channel 4 news boss said that although journalists were not being persecuted like in brutal regimes, in Western democracies they were being ignored, and the truth was being set aside for political gain.

She said: “We’re losing the central primacy of truth. If we don’t accept both as politicians and journalists that that’s what we are aiming at, then we are lost.